


Darling it's better down where it's wetter

by ElectricPurple89



Category: The Magicians (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Curses, Eliot tries to annoy Quentin into being human again, Fluff and Crack, Little Mermaid Elements, M/M, Merman!Q
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-29
Updated: 2019-08-29
Packaged: 2020-09-28 21:34:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20432795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElectricPurple89/pseuds/ElectricPurple89
Summary: "Yes, you see, former King Quentin has been turned into a…." Tick didn't get a chance to finish as Eliot threw open the doors and was stunned by the sight.Margo, Fen, and Josh turned to look at him.Josh spoke first, "It's not that bad really. I mean, he looks kinda happy."Josh was holding a fishbowl. Inside that fishbowl was a very tiny Quentin, or at least part of Quentin. A Quentin with a fish tail. The Merpeople had turned him into a goldfish-sized merman.Or the one where Josh makes a joke that doesn't translate well between humans and Merpeople and Quentin gets cursed accidentally.





	Darling it's better down where it's wetter

**Author's Note:**

> Written to help support of Jason Ralph's Covenant House International Sleep Out Fundraiser. Check out @Drabbles4Jason on Twitter to see how you can get one of your own. Thank you to @AGE50967940 who submitted this prompt for being part of a great cause!
> 
> This is set 4ish years post season 4. The gang got Quentin back somehow (details aren't important). Eliot and Q get together and start therapy. They've been married for 2 years and moved to Fillory a while back to avoid Earth trauma.

"I don't know why you have to go with them?"

"Eliot, we've lived in Fillory for three years now and I have not once been to see the Merpeople! I can't pass up this opportunity!" Quentin leaned over, wrapped his arms around Eliot, who was sitting at the desk. "Besides, it's only for a couple of nights and then I'll be back in your arms." 

"Well, I guess Margo and I can find something to amuse ourselves with while you're away. Go have fun on your little adventure." He pulled Quentin down lower, so he could give him a proper kiss. 

"Good." 

~~~~

They had only been gone for a day and he was already bored. 

He lounged in bed longer than he usually would have and no one could prove that he'd slept on Quentin's side. 

He had just thought about meandering to the kitchens and looking for some breakfast when Tick burst in.

"Your former Highness, so sorry for barging in, but please do not be alarmed. All will be taken care of and I'm sure former King Quentin will not stay this way for long."

"What the fuck are you talking about, Tick? Are they back? Did something happen? Did something happen to Quentin?" He was fully awake now and had already started planning the demise of whoever had hurt Q.

"You know, I realize now I might have not started this in the best way. My apologies. Let me start over. Eliot, Quentin is fine. They did run into a little problem and have had to return quicker than they would have liked. It seems that Josh made a joke about being a fish once and well —” Tick stretched out the word, "It seems the Merpeople didn't believe him and considered it an insult, and I'm afraid Quentin was accidentally hit with the curse instead." Tick was fidgeting.

"A curse?" He brushed past Tick as he made his way to the throne room, where the bickering voices were becoming louder.

"Yes, you see, former King Quentin has been turned into a…." Tick didn't get a chance to finish as Eliot threw open the doors and was stunned by the sight.

Margo, Fen, and Josh turned to look at him.

Josh spoke first, "It's not that bad really. I mean, he looks kinda happy." 

Josh was holding a fishbowl. Inside that fishbowl was a very tiny Quentin, or at least part of Quentin. A Quentin with a fish tail. The Merpeople had turned him into a goldfish-sized merman.

"Q?" He asked taking the fishbowl gently into his arms and sitting down on the steps. He could feel Margo come up behind him and put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, El." Quentin replied barely audible, but with that sheepish look Eliot knew all too well. 

He performed a series of tuts and then Q's voice sounded it's normal octave. 

"We're already working on reversing the curse, Eliot." Q told him, "Margo and Fen were just talking with Abigail about the whole thing."

"But you're a tiny merman Q. How are you not freaking out?"

"Um, I kind of am, but I trust Margo and I know she'll find a way." Quentin swam towards him and reached out his little hand to try and take Eliot's thumb in a comforting gesture. 

"I'm taking Q to our room. You all just try and figure it out."

~~~~

"Eliot, it's um — it's really not that bad. I'm kinda getting used to it, you know?"

He just stared at this miniature version of the man he loved. 

"You're actually not all that upset by this are you?" 

"I mean I should be, I guess, but I'm kind of having fun while Margo and Fen figure things out."

"Oh my God!" 

"What?"

"You're completely living out your childhood 'Little Mermaid' fantasy aren't you?" He smiled for the first time since Q got back. Laughing at knowing Quentin so well.

That sheepish look of Q's was back, "I mean it was a good movie! And listen, Julia made us watch it a million times and some of those cartoon merpeople were really attractive." 

Laughing still he started a series of tuts and then he heard Quentin groan. 

"You did not, Eliot?!"

"I thought it would make the fantasy more real darling." 

Now, in the fishbowl was a purple clam shell, a little Flounder, and Sebastian. 

"I hate you."

"Yeah well I'm not the one that got cursed." 

"It wasn’t my intention to get cursed, El, and not my fault that mermaid has lousy aim."

"I know you didn't make the joke, but you also don't seem to be taking this whole being turned into a pint-sized merman thing too hard while I'm over here worried that we might not be able to reverse it and then I'll have to turn into a pint-sized merman just so we can be together." he took a breath and looked at Quentin. "What?" Q had this look.

"You'd turn yourself into a merman if we aren't able to break the Curse?"

"Well yeah. Why not? It's you and me forever Quentin I remember something about that in our vows and for better or for worse. This seems part of the worst."

"Fuck."

"What sweetheart?"

"You can't say shit like that when I'm like this and I can't kiss you."

"Maybe someone should think about wanting to be human again." 

~~~~

He spent more time in the library than he had ever wanted to. Margo and Fen were out trying to talk with healers and set up another meeting with the Merpeople. At least he had Quentin by his side albeit in a fish bowl. 

It had been a week and Quentin was still tiny and still a merman.

The melody had come out all on its own the other night and after Q’s reaction to it he had started humming it on purpose. If Quentin wasn’t going to be too inclined to fix his current state then Eliot would make him wish he would. Besides, reading was not his thing and annoying Q helped. 

“Would you stop with that song already?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about Quentin. I’m just sitting here researching ways to make my husband human again.”

“You’re humming ‘Part of Your World’ again!”

“Oh was I? Oops. Here, I’m sorry.” He dropped some fish flakes into the bowl for Q.

“I hate you so much.” 

“You love me.”

~~~~

A week and a half of this and they were all gathered in the throne room. 

“So you found a way to make me human again? I’m kind of tired of being a tiny merman.”

“Oh not liking it anymore Q?”

“If some people didn’t hum certain songs, or keep trying to feed me fish flakes, or joke about fish sticks, I might enjoy it more.” Quentin glared at Margo when he mentioned the fish sticks.

“Well, you’ll be happy to know we did. You just have to give your voice away to the evil sea witch.” Margo laughed as she replied to Q’s question. 

Rafe, Tick, and Fen all looked uneasily at each other. They'd been doing that the whole time Quentin had been in this predicament.

“Haha you are all so very funny. Now, is there really a way to reverse the Curse?"

"Oh why Quentin yes there is. Josh and Fen went back to the Merpeople and Josh made his 'special' cupcakes for them. Afterwards, they gave us the spell." Margo airquoted the word special.

"You traded drugs for the spell??" 

"I mean, they're very good drugs. They'll love them and you'll love being human again. Win win."

"Yes let's. I would very much like to not carry a fishbowl with me everywhere." He added when Quentin and Margo were done bickering. 

Margo glanced over at him softly, "Of course El," and then she began a series of tuts and all of a sudden Quentin was surrounded in a white light.

They heard groaning and glass breaking as the light began to dissipate. 

Standing where the fish bowl had been was now a very human Quentin who was also very naked.

"Um thanks Margo." Quentin tried to cover himself up until Margo threw something at him. "Uh thanks again." Quentin replied wrapping the robe around him. "Um, hey everybody. Thanks Josh and Fen for bringing me back."

Eliot had stood back long enough and before he realized it his feet had brought him right to Q. 

"I missed you." He said cupping Q's face.

"I, uh— missed you too El."

"So not too unhappy about not being a merman anymore?"

"No, I think I like being human."

"Good!" He replied, tutting and then kissing Quentin. 

"Oh my God seriously Eliot?!" Quentin asked incredulously as he broke the kiss.

"What? I thought it was fitting."

Margo and Josh were laughing hard in the background and Fen, Rafe and Tick just had confused faces as 'Kiss the Girl' was playing throughout the throne room. 

"I hate you." Q said exasperated.

"You love me." 

"Yeah I do. I love you." 

And then they were kissing again, all the while 'Kiss the Girl' continued to play.


End file.
